Barriers to prevent hostile vehicles to be used at Anzac Day marches this year.

Hostile vehicle mitigation is the term used by Government agencies and the security industry to ensure the safety of large crowds and pedestrian masses. Melbourne has endured 3 such incidents in the last two years with fatalities occurring on two occasions. It is important to understand that the perpetrators in all three incidents were deemed mentally unstable. These were not terrorist inspired actions, although such tragedies as the Nice and Berlin Truck rampages no doubt encourage a range of ‘me too’ lunacy.

AML Risk Management is at the forefront in the provision of portable, effective crash barriers to provide Hostile Vehicle Mitigation in public places, as was recently noted in Melbourne’s Herald Sun Newspaper

Tougher barriers for March

Super-strength steel barriers will be installed to shield crowds at Anzac Day marches this year to prevent deadly attacks and rampages.

The barriers – which are so strong they meet the standards of the US defence force and Homeland Security – are already being used at the South Melbourne Market. It is the first time the technology has been used in Australia.

The three Archer 1200 barriers are designed to protect high traffic and pedestrian areas from dangerous and threatening vehicles and can stop a vehicle travelling at 50km/h. They can also be used in the event of changing threat levels.

AML Risk Management will install the barriers at Anzac Day marches and other major events in Melbourne this year.

Managing Director Andrew Duffy said the company has several bookings in 2018.

“We plan to continue implementing vehicle mitigation strategies, and increasing the safety and security of events in Melbourne” he said.

“The feedback we have received has been excellent. Comments were made by members of the public claiming they were pleased to see action being taken against hostile vehicles.”

South Melbourne Market manager Ian Sumpter said the barriers were among key safety measures that form part of the market’s risk management strategy.

Source: Herald Sun

For further information and recommendations from the Federal Government’s National Security operation, please read section 2 here of its media release on the subject.

How to separate hostile traffic from pedestrians –

Hot spots such as outdoor markets, parades, festivals and sporting events In designing and applying measures to mitigate hostile vehicle risks in public spaces, it is important
to consider equally the needs of the normal users of the space. Spaces must be safe but they must also be functional, such that the level of security is proportionate to the level of risk.

As such, a ‘one size fits all’ approach is not effective: mitigation solutions must be tailored to the physical and practical context. Additionally, since threat levels and terrorist methods evolve over time (often in response to security methods), both current and future security needs must be taken into account and security measures reviewed periodically for effectiveness.

For most existing locations and in some new build designs, there are issues that should be considered to maximise both the functionality of the space and effectiveness of the HVM measures, such as:

• Business needs (e.g. budget, health and safety);
• Logistics (e.g. traffic management, operational requirements);
• Pedestrian and traffic throughput;
• Disability legislation; and
• Building (e.g. appearance, planning consent)

In this case a risk management plan, including a vulnerability assessment, should be conducted to understand what impact the functional needs of the space has on the proposed HVM measures.

Crowded places – Outdoor special events

It is important to take a holistic approach to the security of an outdoor special event where large crowds are expected. Your initial assessment must consider all foreseeable threats which should inform your decision in selecting an appropriate venue.

For vehicle risks, and where possible, it’s considered good business practice to select a venue that contains existing natural barriers, e.g. large bolders, well established dense trees lines, natural berms, ditches, running rivers or creeks. This will reduce the amount and ultimately the cost of hiring re-deployable vehicle barriers.

Remember to consider other risks when installing security measures so not to introduce vulnerabilities to other risks.

Safe places by design

The strategic integration of steps, columns and sculptures into the building’s design offers a good example of how hostile vehicle mitigation can be applied in a subtle way. A flight of steps leading into a building can restrict access to most conventional vehicles, presenting the building as a less desirable target.

Strategically placed mitigation devices such as spheres, planter boxes, seats, or bollards on the pavement surrounding the entrance of the building provides additional protection against unauthorised vehicle intrusion while increasing the standoff distance. It is important to ensure that barrier solutions that may not be purpose built (e.g. planter boxes, sculptures) are properly mounted and reinforced against impact. This may require advice from a qualified engineer with experience in HVM.

To be continued next week

Source: nationalsecurity.gov.au

AML provide planning, prevention and protection with the exclusive use of the Meridian Crash Barrier systems. Deployed, the systems will stop a vehicle travelling at 50km/h completely.

AML – real security, real protection, through planning and prevention.

Hostile Vehicle Mitigation – The Real Issue is Protection

The Australian Government has created guidelines for organisations, Councils and other entities with a vested interest in preventing Hostile Vehicle Attacks. AML Risk Management is a forerunner in presenting Hostile Vehicle Mitigation practices. It utilises the Meridian Crash Barrier systems and has provided fast turnaround deployment and installation in key locations to date.

The Federal Government through its National Security website provides the following analysis. This week we publish Section 1 so that people may aquire a better more fulsome understanding of the risks involved.

Key hot spots

Commercial hubs, shopping centres, special events, stadiums, hotels, CBDs

About this publication – When and where vehicles collide with pedestrians

Protecting people in crowded places requires attention to the vehicle management, urban design and architectural features of a space. This document addresses the ways in which vehicles are being used as weapons to harm people in public spaces, and how these threats can be mitigated.

Section 1 defines hostile vehicles and the nature of the threats they may pose to people in crowded places.

Section 2 provides guidelines on how to prevent hostile vehicles from injuring people. It provides examples of physical barriers and traffic management solutions to prevent hostile vehicles entering crowded places.

The Conclusion outlines the advantages of early implementation in relation to cost and overall protection when designing an effective mitigation strategy, and provides contact details for further information.

1.01 Threat Context

What is the threat context?

The use of a vehicle as a weapon in a terrorist attack is not new. For some time, this tactic has been considered and used by violent extremists – including in Western countries.

Recent terrorist incidents and violent extremist propaganda demonstrate that hostile vehicle attacks continue to be of interest to violent extremists globally.

Attacks of this nature require minimal capability, but can have a devastating impact if targeted towards crowded places.

The terrorist attack on the Bastille Day parade in Nice in July 2016 and subsequent vehicle attacks in Germany and the United Kingdom have attracted global attention. Terrorist propaganda has glorified these attacks, including the methods and tactics used, and called for emulation around the
world.

The potential for hostile vehicle attacks is not limited to Islamist extremists – any violence-prone group or individual could use a vehicle as a weapon should it suit their objectives.

1.02 Hostile Vehicles

What is a hostile vehicle?

A hostile vehicle is generally one whose driver is determined to access a restricted or unauthorised area or location in order to cause injury/death to people, disrupt business or effect publicity for a cause. A hostile vehicle may be used to carry an explosive device or the vehicle itself, travelling at speed, may present the primary danger.

The most likely targets of hostile vehicles are spaces occupied by a critical mass of people at a particular time, where the aim of an attack is to cause death/injury to large numbers of people.

The driver of a hostile vehicle may not necessarily obey traffic road rules. There is an inherent danger in not taking this into account when conducting a site assessment. All too often, security measures have been installed under the assumption that a vehicle will not, for example, travel the wrong way down a one-way street.

This document focuses on preventing vehicular access to crowded places to help mitigate the risk of a terrorist attack. The suggested counter-measures may also be valuable in other situations, such as protecting pedestrians on footpaths from dangerous or drunk drivers.

The methods of hostile vehicle attack may include:

• Parked (containing material to cause harm ie explosives)
• Encroachment;oExploiting gaps in site defences (no impact)
  – Tailgating through an active barrier system; and
  – Tampering with vehicle barriers to later provide unlawful access.
• Penetrative Impact (ramming people & structures)
• Entry by deception to access restricted areas (trojan vehicle)
• Duress (against a security guard or employee to open a barrier)

1.03 Hostile Vehicle Mitigation

What is a crowded place?

Crowded places are locations or environments which are easily accessible by large numbers of people on a predictable basis. Crowded places include, but are not limited to, sports stadia, transport hubs, shopping centres, hotels, clubs, places of worship, tourist attractions, movie theatres, and civic spaces. Crowded places do not have to be buildings and can include open spaces such as parks and pedestrian malls. A crowded place will not necessarily be crowded at all times: crowd densities may vary between day and night, by season, and may be temporary, as in the case
of sporting events, open air festivals, or one-off events.

Security should be proportionate to threat

Security measures can be resource intensive, costly and, if not correctly managed and communicated, can alienate staff and the public and significantly disrupt the day -to-day operations of a crowded place. This is why expert specialist advice is essential and why careful consideration and planning is required before implementing any protective security measures.

It is important to take a holistic approach to security consistent with the foreseeable risks to your venue or asset. Applying security measures to counter the vehicle risk in isolation can inadvertently create a vulnerability to another risk, such as crowd crush.

Understanding the hostile vehicle risk is crucial to ensure your security measures are not over or under engineered.

Source: https://www.nationalsecurity.gov.au/Media-and-publications/Publications/Documents/hostile-vehicle-guidelines-crowded-places.pdf

Next week we will republish Section 2: ‘How to separate hostile vehicles from Pedestrians – Hot Spots’, such as Outdoor Markets, Parades, Festivals and Sporting Events.

We will then discuss the deployment of the Meridian Crash Barriers and just how effective these units really are

Til next week remember Planning, Prevention and Protection.

Be safe, be sure with AML Risk Management.

Crash Barriers installed as South Melbourne Public Event

Last weekend saw the South Melbourne Market celebrate its annual ‘Mussels and Jazz Festival’. The event sees Cecil St closed to traffic and a range of food stalls operate around a central music stage. The street is closed between Coventry and York St and the event attracts large crowds over the weekend. Hostile Vehicle Mitigation Crash Barriers were installed for the event this year by AML Risk Management.

The Crash Barriers can effectively stop a vehicle travelling at 50km/h completely. As can be seen it is a simple deployment, requiring minimal labour. The barriers are not intrusive and for most people they are hardly noticed.

The location provided a need for such equipment in that Cecil St in either direction would provide an unimpeded access for a hostile vehicle. The roundabouts could still be negotiated leaving hundreds of people vulnerable.

As can be seen the units are linked and provide a clear barrier to hostile vehicles. The Meridian System as installed by AML Risk Management can be viewed here.

No doubt at future street events and public gatherings the positioning of such crash barriers will become the norm. It is interesting to note that the 15 year old driver who terrorised Swanston St on Grand Final Day faced court this week. Described as a mute and deaf teen, the court was told the teenager suffered from severe autism and had the language skills of a 3-5 year old child. He would have had no comprehension of the impact of his actions and as such escaped jail.

Put simply had he hit a pedestrian he would most certainly have maimed or killed them. Whether he was a terrorist or not (he most definitely wasn’t), his actions put many people at serious risk. Crash Barriers (Hostile Vehicle Mitigation Systems) ensure the safety of the public at large gatherings. They simply work.

For further information please call AML Risk Management on 03 9326 2244 during business hours, or leave your details here and our staff will provide you with further information.

With AML it’s Planning that provides Prevention and Protection.

Genuine Prevention Real Protection.

Hostile Vehicle Mitigation – What does it mean?

In June last year the Melbourne Cricket Ground sought expressions of interest in expanding its Protective Security Solutions at the MCG with a hostile vehicle solution.

Here is the report from SEN (Security Electronics and Networks) that sets out the facility’s requirements. The tenders closed in July 2017, but with no real tangible decision made for this year’s cricket season.

MELBOURNE Cricket Ground (MCG) is seeking expressions of interest for the expansion of the MCG Protective Security Solution at the MCG with a hostile vehicle mitigation solution.

The MCC is seeking providers who have a validated track record in the design and installation of hostile vehicle mitigation solutions at similar sporting venues, or at other locations where direct comparisons can be made with the requirements of the MCC.

The MCG is Australia’s most attended sports and entertainment stadium, accommodating major events such as international cricket, Australian Rules football, soccer, rugby and concerts, as well as hosting a large number of major functions in the surrounding purpose-built facilities.

The MCG is on Crown Land in Yarra Park, Jolimont and is held on behalf of the people of Victoria by the MCG Trust. Day to day management and control of the stadium is delegated by the Trust to the Melbourne Cricket Club (the Club), which holds a long-term lease of the MCG.

MCG seeking protection for pedestrian precinct

The 100,024-seat Melbourne Cricket Ground, is the 10th largest and one of the greatest sports arenas in the world. It is Australia’s largest stadium, the largest stadium in the Southern Hemisphere, the largest cricket ground by capacity in the world, and has the tallest light towers of any sporting venue in the world.

The MCG is within walking distance of the city centre and is served by the Richmond railway station, Richmond, and the Jolimont railway station, East Melbourne

The tender for hostile vehicle mitigation closed on July 20, 2017.

Source: securityelectronicsandnetworks.com

AML Risk Management offer a range of Hostile Vehicle Mitigation equipment including a range of Meridian Crash Barriers and Accessories. Click here to view.

Contact AML Risk Management on 03 9326 2244 for further information or leave contact details here for a callback.

AML Risk Management – Planning, Prevention and Protection

 

Crash Barriers – AFL Grand Final Day – Where were they?

In this incident a 15 year old, deaf and dumb male drives a stolen car (from a family member) up and down Swanston St in a highly erratic fashion. He appeared in the Children’s Court on January 3rd 2018 charged with with multiple offences. It was contended that the boy suffered from a range of mental illnesses and was an ardent collector of Military material on his computer. Mad or Bad? The police have to make this snap decision. Once out of the car, the boy’s stature gave it away and the police acted accordingly.

AFL Grand Final day car rampage caught on camera

WHEN a driver went on a speeding rampage in Melbourne, one pedestrian took matters into his own hands with the only item he had.

HORRIFYING CCTV footage shows a teenager’s alleged rampage through Melbourne’s CBD on AFL Grand Final day.
The footage, obtained by the Herald Sun, shows alarmed pedestrians and cyclists diving out of the way of the oncoming stolen car — which was also clocked doing skids in front of Flinders Street Station and running red lights shortly before 8am on September 30.
It comes to a bizarre climax as the alleged 15-year-old driver is approached by a pedestrian carrying an oBike — who throws the bicycle under the rear of the car.
The have-a-go hero then uses his elbow to smash the stolen car’s window and the driver steps out to confront him.

Victoria Police charged a 15-year-old Knoxfield boy with two counts of attempted murder, six counts of reckless conduct endangering life, and assaulting and resisting a police officer.

The force also allege the driver, who was wearing a helmet and dressed in camouflage gear, was armed with a knife.

However, the teenager was granted bail by a Children’s Court yesterday — prompting Victoria’s youth affairs minister to defend the state’s juvenile bail laws.

“We have made very significant reforms to the bail system. Of course, decisions are made by the judiciary in relation to particular individuals,” Youth Affairs Minister Jenny Mikakos told reporters.

Previous footage of the incident shows officers approaching the teenager and tasering him at the intersection of Flinders and Swanston streets, while others kicked away his weapon.

Bystanders were heard yelling: “Shoot him, shoot him.”

No one was injured in the rampage. One witness told the Herald Sun: “He was trying to get on the footpath and then started trying to hit people … He tried to run into Fed Square.”

Victoria Police said the incident was not related to terrorism — saying it is related to mental illness.

A pedestrian carrying an oBike confronts the driver

The drama came on a day when the Victorian capital was packed with fans attending the AFL grand final at the MCG and amid increasing terrorism fears.

Early last year, six people were killed in nearby Bourke St during a horrific rampage when Dimitrious Gargasoulas, 26, allegedly drove his car through crowds of people. He has been charged with six counts of murder and 28 counts of attempted murder over the January 20 incident.

Source: news.com.au

Mobile Crash Barriers like these would ensure this type of insanity does not put pedestrians or for the main other vehicles in danger.

Think prevention, think protection, think planning. For major events it’s time to consider highly mobile portable crash barriers. In reality it makes no difference as to whether a militant or simply a mentally challenged person is driving the car. The protection of innocent life is in fact the objective.

For more information on Meridian Crash Barriers please call AML Risk Management on 03 9326 2244 or leave your contact details here.

AML – Where planning provides prevention and ultimately protection.